Topic: Commas between adjectives?

I'm curious what members of this group think about the use of commas between adjectives. A few of my reviewers used to tell me to delete unnecessary ones, but only when there are just two adjectives. As a result, this:

A tall, dark figure surrounded by swirling fog stood a few meters away.

becomes:

A tall dark figure surrounded by swirling fog stood a few meters away.

But this:

A tall, dark, male figure surrounded by swirling fog stood a few meters away.

becomes:

A tall, dark male figure surrounded by swirling fog stood a few meters away.

As I edit my early chapters, I'm inclined to put the deleted commas back, but I'm wondering how common it is to leave them out. All of the fiction I read offsite has them, although I haven't bought much written in the last few years.

Thanks
Dirk

Quote Post 1

Re: Commas between adjectives?

Generally the commas are used when both modifiers apply to the same aspect.  This seems to be a fringe case.

Quote Post 2

Re: Commas between adjectives?

What do you mean by aspect?

Quote Post 3

Re: Commas between adjectives?

He means the object word that the two adjectives modify (It would be "figure" in your example). And this question in particular has a long standing set rule in place—interchangeable adjectives rule. If using two adjectives that can be interchanged for positions, then a dividing comma is required. If not, then no comma. The tricky part comes when the adjective forms a compound noun with its object, which causes it to become non-interchangeable (i.e. brown *log cabin*).

If TNBW members are adhering to different ideas on how to handle commas for your topic, then it's a lot like people standing obliviously next to a speed limit sign while arguing over how fast they can go on the freeway. There are just too many online grammar sites that house the complete set of comma rules for such a thing to be without a consensus.

"Use commas to separate two or more coordinate adjectives that describe the same noun. Be sure never to add an extra comma between the final adjective and the noun itself or to use commas with non-coordinate adjectives." ~ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writ … index.html

Quote Post 4

5 Reply by njc (edited by njc 2022-02-24 13:30:46)

Re: Commas between adjectives?

By aspect I mean things like size, color, shape, or number.  Jube's answer is related, since in English we place the most intrinsic modifiers closest, and the most extrinsic (e.g. number) furthest from the word modified.  I believe that  'coordinate' in the rule he quotes means what I call 'same aspect'.

Even so, sometimes the number of modifiers seems to cry for a comma:  six big, round, juicy oranges.

Quote Post 5

Re: Commas between adjectives?

Thank you, both.

Quote Post 6